Numeri 26:55 (Numbers 26:55)

Posted on May 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 26:55 ita dumtaxat ut sors Terram tribubus dividat et familiis.

only in this way shall the lot divide the Land among the tribes and families.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 ita thus ADV
2 dumtaxat only ADV
3 ut that CONJ
4 sors lot NOM.SG.F
5 Terram land ACC.SG.F
6 tribubus among the tribes DAT.PL.F
7 dividat may divide 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
8 et and CONJ
9 familiis families DAT.PL.F

Syntax

Main Clause: ita dumtaxat limits the manner in which the land distribution is to occur.

Subordinate Clause: ut sors Terram tribubus dividat et familiis explains that the allocation is to be determined by lot.

Subject: sors functions as the subject of dividat.

Direct Object: Terram is the object being divided.

Indirect Objects: tribubus and familiis identify the recipients of the allotment.

Clause Function: The verse qualifies the previous instructions by stating that the final assignment of territory is to be determined by lot among the tribes and families.

Morphology

  1. ita — Lemma: ita; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies the manner of the statement; Translation: “thus”; Notes: refers back to the previously described procedure.
  2. dumtaxat — Lemma: dumtaxat; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: restrictive modifier; Translation: “only”; Notes: limits or qualifies what follows.
  3. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces a subordinate clause; Translation: “that”; Notes: introduces the content of the restriction.
  4. sors — Lemma: sors; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine, 3rd declension; Function: subject of dividat; Translation: “lot”; Notes: refers to the sacred casting of lots used for determining inheritances.
  5. Terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, 1st declension; Function: direct object of dividat; Translation: “land”; Notes: refers to the Promised Land being allotted.
  6. tribubus — Lemma: tribus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural feminine, 4th declension; Function: indirect object; Translation: “among the tribes”; Notes: identifies the primary recipients of the allotment.
  7. dividat — Lemma: divido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of the subordinate clause; Translation: “may divide”; Notes: expresses the intended method of distribution.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable coordinating conjunction; Function: joins coordinate nouns; Translation: “and”; Notes: links tribes and families.
  9. familiis — Lemma: familia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural feminine, 1st declension; Function: indirect object; Translation: “families”; Notes: indicates the smaller kinship units within the tribes.

 

About Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Born around 346 A.D. in Stridon, St. Jerome was a scholar fluent in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew whose ascetic discipline and deep engagement with Scripture prepared him for a monumental task: translating the Bible into Latin. Commissioned by Pope Damasus I around 382 A.D., Jerome began by revising the flawed Old Latin Gospels, then expanded his work to the entire Bible. For the New Testament, he corrected Latin texts using Greek manuscripts; for the Old Testament, he translated most books directly from Hebrew—a controversial but principled choice. His final Psalter, however, followed the Greek Septuagint tradition for liturgical use. This composite translation, later known as the Vulgate (editio vulgata), became the authoritative biblical text of the Western Church, formally endorsed at the Council of Trent in 1546. The Vulgate’s influence extends beyond theology into textual criticism and Latin education. As one of the earliest translations grounded in original-language scholarship, it offers a vital witness to the state of biblical texts in late antiquity. Jerome’s lexical and syntactic decisions are studied to trace manuscript history and assess variant readings. Its elegant Latin, consistent in grammar and rich in vocabulary, became a model for medieval and Renaissance learning, bridging classical and ecclesiastical Latin. More than a translation, the Vulgate helped define Christian doctrine, preserved the Latin language, and laid essential groundwork for the critical study of Scripture—remaining indispensable to students of Latin, theology, and textual history.
This entry was posted in Numeri. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.